Bar Mat

ABSTRACT

A bar mat is formed from rubber or other like flexible material with a perimeter edge and a recessed central region having a floor located below the edge. The floor is formed to include one or more raised platforms of any desired geographic shape and a plurality of spaced, raised elements that generally surround the one or more raised platforms. The raised elements and the one or more platforms define a support surface having a height above the floor. The one or more platforms are configured to receive indicia that is desired to be displayed by the bar mat.

BACKGROUND

Rubber mats are commonly used on commercial bar counters as a way of catching liquid spillage or overflow from, for example, glasses or mugs. Advertising graphics or other indicia often is incorporated into the upper surface of such mats during a molding process that creates the mat. There is a need for a bar mat that can be manufactured without any advertising or other indica that subsequently can be modified to receive any desired indicia.

SUMMARY

A bar mat comprises an elongate body having a perimeter edge and a central recessed region. The central recessed region has a floor below the perimeter edge, which comprises one or more raised platforms, each of which has a geometric shape, and a plurality of raised elements. Each platform defines a generally flat support surface with a height generally equal to the perimeter edge. The raised elements are spaced apart and generally surround each platform. The plurality of elements define a support surface having a height generally equal to each platform. Each of the one or more raised platforms are configured to receive a desired indicia to be on display on the bar mat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of embodiments and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments and together with the description serve to explain principles of embodiments. Other embodiments and many of the intended advantages of embodiments will be readily appreciated as they become better understood by reference to the following detailed description. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale relative to each other. Like reference numerals designate corresponding similar parts.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a rubber bar mat of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following Detailed Description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. In this regard, directional terminology, such as “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “back,” “leading,” “trailing,” etc., is used with reference to the orientation of the FIGURE(S) being described. Because components of embodiments can be positioned in a number of different orientations, the directional terminology is used for purposes of illustration and is in no way limiting. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a bar mat 10, that is comprised of an elongate body 12 that is sized to fit in a typical channel of a bar counter. In one example, body 12 has a length of about 22 inches, and a width of about 3.5 inches. Body 12 is commonly formed by a molding process using a rubber, or similar, material. Body 12 includes an elevated edge 14, a recessed region 16 that includes a floor 18 that is below the edge 14, and a plurality of raised, spaced elements 20 that extend from and above the floor at a common height to define a collective support surface 20, such as for supporting a glass or a mug. The recessed floor 18 serves as a reservoir to catch liquid spillage or overflow from glasses or mugs placed on the bar mat, which facilitates maintaining a clean appearance to the bar counter. Typically, accumulated liquid captured by the bar mat is disposed of in a sink, the bar mat is rinsed, and it is then replaced on the bar counter

Bar mats may be formed from a variety of colored rubbers, one common color being black. To improve the ability of a rubber bar mat to display a wide variety advertising indicia, without the need for a dedicated mold, bar mat 10 is configured with one or more dedicated geometrically shaped platforms 22, which extend from the floor 18 to a height generally equal to the collective support surface 20. As shown in FIG. 1, in one embodiment, bar mat 10 is provided with three such platforms 22, comprised of a central rectangular platform 22A, flanked on each side by an oval platform 22B. In one embodiment, the rectangular platform is about 6 inches long and 3 inches wide, and each oval platform is about 4 inches long and 3 inches wide. Other shapes and locations of platforms 22 may be used according to the appearance and advertising effect desired. Platforms 22 comprise an upper, generally flat surface 24 that is surrounded by raised elements 20. Platforms 22 serve as a blank surface that may be transformed by, for example, an application of a particular graphic or other indicia that is unique to a theme or a particular brand that one desires to promote on the bar mat. In one embodiment, the platform may receive indicia via a printer suitable to print on rubber material. By forming a bar mat with one or more blank platforms 22, the cost of manufacturing of a bar mat suitable for advertising or displaying a desired design is reduced and the variety of advertising that can be accomplished on by bar mat is increased, making it more simple and economical for different companies to advertise their brands or other graphics on bar mats. In one embodiment, a rubber of a different color than the bar mat is selected to form the platforms 22 using known molding processes. In particular, in one embodiment the color of the platform 22 is white, which enables inks of a variety of colors to be more prominently and vividly displayed on the platform 22. Other colors that provide a light colored surface relative to the typical dark colored body 12 of the bar mat 10 may be used to form platforms 22.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of alternate and/or equivalent implementations may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present invention. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein. Therefore, it is intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A bar mat comprising an elongate body having a perimeter edge and a central recessed region, the central recessed region having a floor below the perimeter edge, the floor comprising one or more raised platforms, each platform having a geometric shape, wherein each platform defines a generally flat support surface with a height generally equal to the perimeter edge, the central recessed region further having a plurality of spaced, raised elements that generally surround each platform, the plurality of elements defining a support surface having a height generally equal to each platform, wherein one or more of the raised platforms are configured to receive a desired indicia to be on display on the bar mat.
 2. The bar mat of claim 1, wherein each platform is formed of a color different than that of the bar mat.
 3. The bar mat of claim 2, wherein each platform is formed of a light color.
 4. The bar mat of claim 3, wherein each platform is formed of the color white.
 5. The bar mat of claim 4, wherein each platform is configured to receive ink printed indicia. 